Bowling pin elevating apparatus



Jan. 14,1964 w. B. CLAPHAM. 3,117,784

BOWLING PIN ELEVATIING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 17, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 \w Ea INVENTOR WENTWORTH B. GLAPHAM II, I c J l TTORNEY Jan. 14, 1964 w. B. CLAPHAM BOWLING PIN ELEVATING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 17, 1961 INVENTOR WENTWORTH B. CLAPHAM ATTORNEY fiil'ifid i Patented .Fan. 14, 1934 3,117,7554 BQWLING FIN G AFFARATUS Wenrworth E. Clapharn, Qhappaqua, N.Y., assignor to American Machine 5: Foundry Company, a corporathan of New Jersey Filed Nov. 17, 196i, Ser. No. 153,166 1t} Claims. (Q1. 27343) This invention relates to elevating apparatus and, while not limited thereto, finds particular application to bowling alley installations of the type including a bowling pin spotting machine installed adjacent the bowling alley pit and requiring that bowling pins be elevated from the pit to a position thereabove for delivery to the pin spotting machine.

Many types of elevating apparatus of this general class have heretofore been proposed. In bowling alley installations, it has frequently been a practice to employ bowlpin elevators comprising a wheel or drum arranged to rotate about a generally horizontal axis and provided with a circularly extending series of pockets in which the bowling pins are received and retained. In such devices, the arrangement is such that the circularly extending series of pockets passes, during its rotary travel, through a lower region adjacent the bottom of the pit, where bowling pins are received from a bowling pin conveyor in the pit, and then moves upwardly to pass through an upper region where the pins are successively released onto a chute or other device for feeding the pins to the pin spotting machine. Elevating apparatus of this general type is disclosed, for example, in US. Patent 2,767,983, issued October 26, 1956, to Robert L. Holloway and John Zuercher. While such prior art apparatus have achieved considerable commercial success, there has been a continuing need for simplification and improvement. In particular, prior art devices of this type have generally required rather complicated mechanical devices for holding the bowling pins in place during the elevating operation.

A general object of the present invention is to provide a highly simplified, particularly dependable apparatus for elevating articles, such as bowling pins, from a lower position to an upper position and releasing the articles successively at the upper position.

Another object is to provide such an apparatus which involves a minimum of moving parts and is so constructed as to minimize the amount of service required during its operational life.

A further object is to provide, in a bowling alley installation of the type referred to above, an improved bowling pin elevator which is especially adapted to receive the bowling pins from the usual pin conveyor in the pit of the alley, positively elevate the pins to an upper position for discharge to the pin spotting machine, and there release the pins in succession, the elevator being especially suited for continuous and dependable operation in the environent in which it is installed.

In order that the manner in which these and other objects are attained in accordance with the invention can be understood in detail, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and wherein:

FEGURE l is a front elevational view of a bowling pin elevating apparatus constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, some parts being shown in vertical section;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional View taken on line 22, FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a detail sectional view taken on line 33, FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a view, similar to FIGURE 1, illustrating a bowling pin elevating apparatus constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 55, FEGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is a detail horizontal view taken on line s e, FIGURE 4.

Stated broadly, the invention is based upon the use of an annular elevator in the form of a deformable ring having a continuous outer periphery and a pair of axially spaced, inwardly extending side walls which define an open mouth directed at least generally inwardly with respect to the ring. The ring is mounted for rotation about its central axis and is so disposed that, during rotation, the open mouth passes through a lower region, adjacent the position from which the bowling pins or other articles are to be elevated, and thence upwardly to an upper region which is suitably located so that the articles can be delivered downwardly, through the open mouth, to the point to which they are to be elevated. In the lower and upper regions, the side walls of the ring are kept spaced apart by a distance at least slightly greater than the corresponding dimension of the article to be elevated so that, in these regions, the articles are not gripped and retained by the side walls of the ring. Throughout a portion of the path of upward travel of the ring extending from a point well below the axis of rotation upwardly to the upper region, the ring is maintained with its side walls more closely together, so that, over this portion of the path of travel, the articles are positively gripped and retained by the side walls.

Thus, assuming that a bowling pin, for example, has entered via the open mouth of the ring as the ring passes through the lower region, and that the pin lies with its longitudinal axis parallel to the side walls of the ring, the pin will first be carried along with the ring simply because the position of the pin in the ring is maintained by gravity and friction. Then, when the pin has been carried into the portion of the path of travel mentioned above, the pin is firmly gripped between the side walls of the ring and etained in this fashion until it reaches the upper region. There, the side walls spread apart, and the pin is released to drop through the open mouth of the ring to the desired delivery point.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and first to FEGURES 1-3 thereof, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention here illustrated is shown in combination with a bowling alley installation comprising a pit, the floor of which is indicated at 11 in FIGURES l and 2, a suitable generally horizontal endless conveyor 12 being provided adjacent the floor of the pit to convey bowling pins rearwardly in the pit. At a point spaced well above the pin floor 11, there is disposed a chute 13, mounted in any suitable fashion, the chute being arranged to feed bowling pins to a pin spotting machine (not shown), in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.

Extending transversely of the pit, and fixedly mounted on floor 11 adjacent the discharge end of conveyor 12, is an upright main supporting frame 14-. Adjacent each side of conveyor 12, there is provided a pair of vertical frame members, each pair including a member 15 which is located nearest the conveyor and a member 16 which is located at a point spaced substantially away from the discharge end of the conveyor. At their upper ends, each pair of frame members is connected by horizontal frame members 17. A horizontal frame member 18 extends transversely, relative to the alley, and interconnects the tops of the two vertical frame members 16. At a point below the center of the frame, the two vertical frame members 16 are also interconnected by a horizontal brace 19.

The frame 14 rotatably supports an annular elevator in the form of an integral ring 26 of deformable material.

3 Ring 29 is of generally U-shaped cross section and has an outer peripheral portion 21, forming the base of the U, and inwardly extending, axially spaced side walls 22 and 23 which form the legs of the U. The side walls terminate in rounded edges or beads indicated at 24 and 25, respectively, in FIGURE 3, and these edges define an open mouth which is directed inwardly relative to the ring.

The ring 26 is supported in upright position, for rotation about its horizontally disposed central axis, by a plurality of idler rollers spaced circumferentially about the ring. Of these rollers, rollers 26 and 27 are mounted on the floor 11 of the pit and spaced equally on opposite sides of the center line of conveyor 12. Thus, rollers 26 and 27 form a cradle upon which the ring 21; rests, the position of these two rollers serving to center the ring with respect to the conveyor. Upper rollers 23 and 29 are each mounted on a different one of the horizontal frame members 17, as Will be clear from FIGURE 1, and engage the periphery of ring 29 generally in opposition to rollers 26 and 27, respectively.

The outer surface of peripheral portion 21 of the ring includes a centrally disposed, outwardly projecting, annular guide flange 39 of rectangular cross section. Rollers 2629 are all identical and each includes a peripheral groove of such dimension as to snugly embrace the projecting guide flange 3%.

Peripheral surface portions 31 and 32, each located on a different side of guide flange 3%, are provided with gear teeth in the manner shown in FIGURE 1. Located in a well 33 in the floor of the pit beneath ring 29 is a drive unit comprising twin drive gears 34 and 35 which are spaced apart axially by a distance slightly greater than 'the width of guide flange 3% and are operatively meshed with toothed peripheral portions 31 and 32, respectively, of ring 2'9, the guide flange being accommodated between the two drive gears. From the foregoing description, it will be understood that the gear box 37 can be powered by any suitable means, such as motor M, to rotate gears 34 and in a direction to cause rotation of the ring 2% in the direction indicated by the arrows in FlGUR E 1. Gears 34 and 35 are fixed to shaft 3i; having one end connected to the operating mechanism of gear box 37 and its other end journalled in bracket 33.

In this embodiment, the ring 2% is formed as an integral body from resiliently deformable material. Thus, for example, ring 2% can be molded from any elastomeric material, including particularly natural rubber and the commonly available synthetic rubbers, with or Without fabric or likeinternal reinforcing. Alternatively, ring 29 can be formed of various synthetic resin materials, including the polyvinyl resins, polyethylene, modified halide polymers, and the like.

Considering that side walls 22 and 23 of ring 20 are of material thickness, and that the peripheral portion 21 is substantially thicker than the side walls, it will be understood that ring 2% tends to assume what may be termed a normal or relaxed configuration, illustrated by the cross section of the lower portion of the ring in FIGURE 2. When the ring is relaxed, the side walls 22 and 23 are spaced apart, axially of the ring, by a distance which, as seen in FIGURE 2, is substantially greater than maximum diameter of a bowling pin 39, for example, to be elevated by the apparatus. Thus, while the bowling in, received from conveyor 12 as hereinafter described, rests within the ring with its longitudinal axis extending parallel to the side walls of the ring, the bowling pin at this stage is not gripped in any way by the ring.

However, because of gravitational and frictional forces, the bowling pin travels with the ring as the same is rotated. In this regard, it will be noted that the inner surface of ring 2% may be provided with a centrally disposed, circularly extending series of integrally formed suitably shaped projections 4%, which extend inwardly from what may be considered the base of the U of the cross section of the ring, the function of the projections 4% being to assist in preventing or minimizing slippage of the bowling pin relative to the ring so long as the angle of inclination of the bowling pin is not too great.

Supported from the one of vertical frame members 15 which is at the left, as viewed in FIGURE 1, by arms 43 is arcuate deforming rod or cam 44 of circular cross section. A second deforming rod or cam 45 which may be identical with rod 44, is supported from the correspending one of vertical frame members 16 by arms 46. The arcuate cams 44- and 45 have substantially the same radius of curvature as do beads 24 and 25. The mounting arms 43 and 46 are of such length and shape that the deforming rods or cams slidably engage beads 24 and 25. Thus, rod 44 engages bead 24-, while rod 45 is slidably engaged by bead 25. It will be understood that the arm 43 and 46 serve to fixedly position the deforming rods, so that the rods maintain constant engagement in the corresponding ones of beads 24, 25, as ring 2G is rotated. Rod 44 is bent upwardly and away from side wall 22, as indicated at 47 in FIGURE 1, so that a smooth sliding contact between rod 4-4 and the surface presented by bead 24 is assured, and a minimum of wear on the ring will result during operation of the device. Similarly, as indicated at 48 in FIGURE 2, the ends of deforming rod 45 are bent outwardly and away from side wall 23.

As best seen in HGURE 2, the spacing between deforming rods 4e and .5, axially of ring 20, is substantially less than the normal axial spacing between the beads 24 and 25. Hence, the deforming rods act to compress side walls 22 and 23 axially toward each other. As illustrated in FIGURE 3, the extent of this compression, or inward deflection, of the side walls of the ring accomplished by the deforming rods is sufficiently great to assure that, when bowling pin 32 enters the region of the deforming rods or cams, the bowling pin will be securely and positively gripped between side walls 22 and 23. To aid this gripping action, side wall 22 may be provided with a circularly extending series of integrally formed, inwardly extending, suitably shaped projections 49 disposed'to engage the surface of the bowling pin.

Similarly, the inner surface of side wall 25 is equipped with an identical series of projections 50.

As will be clear from FIGURE 1, the lower ends of deforming rods or earns 44 and 45 are located just above conveyor 12, at a point well below the axis of rotation of ring 253. This point is so chosen that it will be reached by the bowling pin or other articles carried by the ring before the angle of inclination thereof becomes so great as to cause slippage. The upper ends of deforming rods 44 and 45 are located adjacent to the pin feeding chute 13. Hence, cams 44 and 45 acting on beads 24 and 25 serve to deflect side walls 22 and 23 toward each other, and thereby provide for holding the bowling pins or the like, throughout that portion of the path of upward travel of the ring where positive gripping action is necessary in order to accomplish elevation of the articles.

At each of its sides, frame 14 supports a generally downwardly and inwardly sloping deflector 51, FIG- URE 1. As will be clear from FlGURE 2, deflectors 51 also slope downwardly toward the upper surface of conveyor d2. Ring 2% is so positioned that the open mouth 7 thereof passes just below the central portion of the discharge end of conveyor 12. On the side of ring 26 opposite conveyor 12, brace 19- supports a downwardly slanting deflecting plate 52. The lower edge of plate 52 is arcuate and is disposed immediately above the lowermost portion of the path of travel of edge 25 of side wall 23. The gap bet-weenthe discharge end of conveyor 7 l2 and the path of travel of edge 24 of side wall 22 is bridged by a downwardly slanting chute member 53. From inspection of FEGURES l and 2, it will be apparent that the deflectors 5i, deflecting plate 52 and chute member 53 coact with the upper run of the endless conveyor 12 to direct the bowling pins into the open mouth of ring 20 as the ring passes the discharge end of the conveyor.

As best seen in FIGURE 2, the pin feeding chute 13 includes a portion disposed immediately below the highest point in the path of travel of the open mouth of the ring 26.

In operation, with ring 20 rotated in the direction indicated by the arrows in FIGURE 1, bowling pins are delivered successively by conveyor 12 to the interior of ring 21), entering via the open mouth thereof, and aligning themselves automatically with the side walls of the ring. Initially, the bowling pins are carried upwardly by the ring because of gravitational and frictional forces. As they reach the position of the lower ends of deforming rods 44 and 45, however, the bowling pins are positively and securely gripped between the inwardly deformed side walls 22 and 23 of the ring, and this gripping action continues until the bowling pins are carried beyond the upper ends of the deforming rods. In this latter region of the path of travel of the ring, the ring relaxes to its normal configuration and the bowling pins are therefore allowed to drop, via the open mouth of the ring, onto chute 13 for delivery to the pin spotting machine.

FIGURES 46 illustrate an advantageously modified form of the apparatus described above with reference to FIGURES 1-3. Here, the floor of the bowling alley pit is illustrated at 111, the pit being equipped with a bowling pin conveyor 1-12. A pin feeding chute 113 is located substantially above the floor of the pit to feed pins to the pin spotting machine (not shown).

A main frame, indicated generally at 114, is employed and is identical with frame 14 of FIGURES 1-3.

The annular elevator is again in the form of an integral, resiliently deformable hollow ring indicated generally at 12%. Ring 121) includes a peripheral portion 121, side walls 122 and 123, and an annular guide flange 133 projecting outwardly from peripheral portion 121. Ring 12%) is suported for rotation about its horizontally extending central axis by lower rollers 126 and 127, mounted on the pit floor 111, and upper rollers 12% and mounted on frame 114. As in the embodiment previously described, ring 1211 is disposed adjacent to the discharge end of pin conveyor 112, the plane of rotation of the ring extending transversely to the direction of travel of conveyor 112.

Instead of projecting directly inwardly of the ring, side walls 122 and 123 both slant toward the central axis of the ring in the same direction, namely, toward conveyor 112. Thus, the side walls can be considered as part of similar, parallel conical surfaces both having the axis of rotation of the ring as the central axis of the cone. Accordingly, the edges or beads 124 and 125 of side walls 122 and 123, respectively, define a mouth which opens both inwardly and toward the pin conveyor 112.

Frame 11 1 again carries a pair of deflectors 151 disposed each at a different side of the discharge end of the pin conveyor 112, each deflector 151 slanting downwrndly and inwardly toward the central portion of the discharge end of the conveyor and also downwardly toward the conveyor proper, as will be apparent from compurisc-n of FIGURES 4 and 5. The short space between the discharge end of conveyor 112 and edge 124 of side wall 122 is bridged by a stationary chute member 153. From FIGURE 5, it will be noted that both the discharge end portion of conveyor .112 and chute member 153 slant downwardly toward the interior of the lowermost portion of ring 1215. It will also be noted from this figure that edge 125 of side wall 123 extends approximately above the center of the lowest portion of the interior of the ring 12%, so as to be disposed in the Way of any bowling pins which, upon delivery from conveyor 112, tend to pass the open mouth of the ring rather than to enter the same. Hence, edge portion 125', and the adja- 5 cent wall 123, serve the same purpose as the deflecting plate 52 of the embodiment seen in FIGURES 1-3.

It will be understood that deflectors 151, chute memher 153, and the slanting side walls 122 and 123 of ring 121 coact to guide bowling pins, as they are delivered by conveyor 112, into the interior of the lowermost portion of ring 121 Hence, because of this coaction, all bowling pins 132 will come to rest in the position indicated in the lower portion of FIGURE 5, with the longitudinal axis of the bowling pin extending generally parallel to the side walls 122 and 123. In this embodiment of the invention, the special configuration of ring has the distinct advantage that the lowermost portion of the open mouth of the ring lies approximately in a plane at right angles to the normal direction of travel of bowling pins as they are discharged from conveyor 112. Because of this, the lowermost portion of ring 12% acts to trap the bowling pins as they are discharged from the conveyor.

As in FIGURES 5 and 6, the means for effecting the rotation of ring 120 may comprise a guide flange which projects outwardly from a line on the periphery of ring 1219 which can be considered as approximately at the juncture between peripheral portion 121 and side wall 122. The normal cross-sectional shape of ring 120, when the ring is relaxed, is substantially in the form of a U. Instead of projecting substantially vertically, however, the legs of the U, formed by the side walls, slant toward the pin delivering conveyor. Hence, the base of the U, including the peripheral portion 121, is also slanted.

Annular toothed portions 131 and 132 are again provided one on each side of the guide flange 130. The remainder of the drive means for rotating the ring, including the axially spaced driving gears 134 and 135, which may be the same as hereinbefore described with reference to FIGURES 13.

A circularly extending series of generally inwardly extending suitably shaped projections may, if desired, be provided along the inner surface of ring 120 in the area which can be considered as the base of the U of the cross section thereof for assisting in maintaining pins in pin holding condition in ring 126. The inner surface of side wall 122 is similarly provided with a circularly extending, generally inwardly directed series of suitably shaped projections 149. It will be noted, as shown in FIGURE 5, that both projections 14d and 149 are disposed beneath the bowling pin 132 in the lowermost portion of the ring 12d. The inner surface of side wall 123 is provided with a series of conical projections 150,

projections 14-9 and 15 3 being generally opposed.

From FIGURE 5, it will be seen that the normal or relaxed configuration of ring 120 is such that the side walls 122 and 123 are spaced apart by a distance materially greater than the maximum diameter of the bowling pin 139. Hence, in areas of the ring where the ring is in its normal, relaxed configuration, the bowling pin is not positively gripped by the ring.

Rigidly supported by the one of vertical frame members 115 which is at the left, as seen in FIGURE 4, and therefore in the area of upward travel of the ring, is an arcuate deforming rod 1 14-. Rod 144 is carried by horizontally extending arms 143 in the same manner described with reference to arms 43, FIGURES 1-3. An arcuate deforming rod is similarly rigidly mounted, by means of arms 146, on the corresponding one of vertical frame members 116. Deforming rod 144 has its ends bent outwardly away from the side wall 122, as indicated at 147. Similarly, the deforming rod 145 has its ends bent outwardly away from side wall 123, as indicated at 148. Both deforming rods are of circular transverse cross section.

Deforming rod 144 has a radius of curvature matching that of head 124 in side wall 122. Similarly, arcuate deforming rod 145 has a radius of curvature matching that of head 125 in side wall 123. The arms 143 and side walls 122 and 123 slant downwardly. "region, the ring 120 has its normal, relaxed configuration, 'the side walls of the ring allow the elevated bowling pins Z? 146 support deforming rod 144 and deforming rod 145, respectively, in such positions that the deforming rods are spaced apart axially of ring 129 by a distance substantially less than the normal axial spacing between the side walls of the ring. Hence, the deforming rods, engaging corresponding ones of beads 124 and 125, serve to displace side walls 122 and 123 of the ring axially toward each other to an extent such that, as seen in FIGURE 6, the bowling pin 139 is positively gripped between the inner faces of the inwardly deformed side walls 122 and 123. When projections 14% and 14-9 are provided, as in the case of projections 49, 49 and they assist in holding pins firmly for elevation. As in the embodiment of the invention earlier described, deforming rods 144, 145 extend upwardly from a point above conveyor 112, but well below the axis of rotation of the ring 1259, to a point immediately adjacent the pin feeding chute 1-13. Accordin ly, the deforming rods serve to assure that the side walls of ring 12%) will positively grip the bowling pins from a time, during upward travel of the ring, when the angle of inclination of the bowling pins is not yet great enough to cause slippage thereof with respect to the ring, until the bowling pins have been elevated to a point where they can be discharged downwardly onto the pin feeding chute 113.

Viewing the upper portion of FEGURE 5, it will be seen that the edge 12d of side wall 122 is disposed above chute 113, while edge 125 of side wall 123 is disposed adjacent to and aligned with the sharply slanting portion 113a of the pin feeding chute. 1n the region of chute 113, Since, in this to be freely discharged by gravity, via the open mouth of the ring, onto chute 13. Because, in this region, side Wall 123 actually slants beneath the bowling pins which have been elevated, this side wall positively supports the bowling pins, directing them toward portion "1 130 of the chute.

It will be understood that, in general, the mode of continuous operation of ring 129 is the same as that of ring 2% described with reference to FIGURES 1-3.

Though particularly advantageous embodiments of the invention have been'illustrated and described, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Particularly, it will be understood that the elevator of-tlns invention can be employed to elevate various articles other than bowling pins, including particularly articles such as bowling balls. in this regard, however, the invention is particularly advantageous in connection with elevation of articles having the general configuration of bowling pins. It will also be understood that elevators constructed in accordance with the invention are particularly effective when operating within the situs of a bowling alley installation, where quietness and dependability of operation, and freedom from relatively complicated, small, moving parts is highly desirable.

I claimz l. Inan apparatus for elevating articles such as bowling pins from a lower position to an upper position, the combination of an annular ring formed as an'integral body of resiliently deformable elastomeric material and having a generally U shaped cross section, the legs of the U of said cross section being formed by continuous axially spaced side walls defining an open mouth directed at least generally inwardly with respect to the ring; means supporting said ring for rotation about itscentral axis with the plane of rotation passing said lower and upper positions; drive means for rotating said ring; article supply means operatively arranged at said lower positions to feed the articles to be elevated successively into the space between said side walls, said ring having a normal relaxed configuration such that said side walls are spaced apart axially of the ring to an extent such that the articles so fed to the ring rest loosely betwen said side Walls in the region of said lower position; deforming means engaged with an exterior part of said ring and operative to cause said ring, during its rotation, to positively grip such articles between said side walls throughout a portion of the path of upward travel of the ring etwen said lower and upper positions, said portion extending to a point adjacent said upper position; and article receiving means disposed at said upper position below the uppermost portion of said ring to receive articles discharged by gravity via said open mouth.

2. In a bowling alley installation of the type having a pit equipped with a bowling pin conveyor, and a pin spotting machine installed adjacent the pit and provided with a pin feed device disposed above the pit, the combination of an annular elevator in the form of an integral ring of deformable elastomeric material having inwardly projecting, axially spaced side walls defining an at least generally inwardly opening mouth; means supporting said annular elevator for rotation about its central axis, with the plane of such rotation passing the discharge end of the 'bowling pin conveyor in the pit and the in ut of the in feed device above the pit; drive means for rotating said annular elevator; and deforming means engageable with said annular elevator, during such rotation, and operative to cause the side walls of said elevator to positively grip bowling pins during upward travel of the elevator, the axial spacing between the side walls of said annular elevator when the elevator is in its normal, relaxed condition being at least slightly greater than the diameter of a bowling pin, and the side walls of said elevator having their normal axial spacing in the regions of the pin conveyor in the pit and the pin feed device above the pit, said annular elevator being so disposed with respect to the pin conveyor in the pit that the pin conveyor delivers bowling pins successively into the annular elevator via the open mouth thereof, the open mouth of said annular elevator passing above the pin feed device, whereby pins carried upwardlly by the annular elevator are deposited via said open mouth onto the pin feed device.

3. In a bowling alley installation of the type including a pit equipped with a bowling pin conveyor, and a pin spotting machine installed adjacent the pit and provided with a pin feed device disposed above the pit, the combination of an annular elevator in the form of a ring of deformable elastomeric material, said ring having axially spaced side walls slanting toward the central axis of the ring in the same direction and defining an open mouth directed inwardly and toward one side of the ring; means supporting said annular elevator for rotation about its central axis and with the open mouth thereof passing th ough a lower region, in which the mouth is directed toward the pin conveyor to receive bowling pins therefrom, and an upper region, in which the mouth passes above the pin feed device to deposit pins thereon; drive means for rotating said annular elevator; and deforming means engageable with said annular elevator, during such rotation, and operative to cause the side walls thereof to positively grip bowling pins, after the same have been received from the pin conveyor, during upward travel of the annular elevator to said upper region, said ring being in its normal, relaxed condition as it rotates through said lower and upper regions, said side walls being spaced apart by a distance greater than the diameter of a bowlin pin when said ring is in its normal, relaxed condition.

4. In a bowling alley installation of he type including a pit equipped with a bowling pin conveyor, and a pin spotting machine installed adjacent the pit and provided with a pin feed device disposed above the pit, the combination of an annular eleva or in the form of an integral ring of resiliently deformable elastomeric material, said ring being of at least generally U-shaped cross section and having axially spaced inwardly extending side walls defining an open, at least generally inwardly directed mouth; means supporting said ring for rotation about its central axis and with the open mouth thereof passing through a lower region, in which the mouth is disposed to receive bowling pins from the pin conveyor, and an upper region, in which the mouth passes above the pin feed device to deposit pins thereon; drive means for rotating said ring; and at least one stationary deforming member mounted in engagement with a side wall of said ring and disposed to deform said side wall toward the other of said side walls over a portion of the path of travel of said ring extending from a point below the axis of rotation of said ring to said upper region and to an extent such that bowling pins are positively gripped betwen said side Walls as said ring rotates through said portion of its path of travel, the normal spacing between said side walls being at least slightly greater than the diameter of a bowling pin.

5. in an apparatus for elevating articles such as bowling pins from a lower position to an upper position, the combination of an annular elevator comprising an outer peripheral portion, and

resiliently displaceable, inwardly projecting, axially spaced side walls defining an annular mouth which opens at least generally inwardly of the annular elevator,

the normal, relaxed positions of said resiliently displaceable side Walls being such that the spacing between said side walls is materially greater than the transverse dimensions of the articles to be elevated;

means supporting said annular elevator for rotation about its central axis with the plane of rotation passing said lower and upper positions;

drive means for rotating said elevator about said axis;

and

displacing means located between said lower and upper positions and disposed to engage at least one of said side Walls to displace the same in a direction decreasing the spacing between said side walls, over that arcuate portion of the rotational path of said elevator throughout which positive gripping of the articles is necessary to elevate the same, by an amount sufficient to cause said side walls to positively grip the articles,

said at least one side wall being free from displacement by said displacing means except in said arcuate portion of said path, and said side walls occupying their normal, relaxed positions at said lower and upper positions.

6. An apparatus in accordance with claim 5 and wherein said annular elevator is an integral ring of elastomeric material, said ring being of at least generally U- shaped transverse cross-section with said side walls forming the legs of the U. 7. An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 and wherein said side walls both slant toward said axis in the same direction, whereby said annular mouth opens inwardly and to one side of said ring. 8. An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 and wherein said displacing means includes an arcuate deflecting member having a radius of curvature at least substantially the same as the radius of curvature of the inner edge portion of the one of said side walls with which it is engaged, and means mounting said deflecting member in engagement with the outer surface of said one side wall, the center of curvature of said deflecting rnember and the center of curvature of said inner edge portion bein at least approximately coincident. 9. An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 and wherein each of said side Walls is provided with a circularly extending bead, and said displacing means includes a pair of arcuate deforming members each disposed in a difierent one of said beads. 10. An apparatus in accordance with claim 6 and wherein said ring is provided at its outer periphery with an outwardly projecting annular guide flange, and said drive means comprises gear teeth projecting from the outer periphery of said ring on both sides of said guide flange, and a pair of axially spaced driving gears disposed each on a different side of said flange and meshed with said teeth, said flange projecting outwardly into the space bet-ween said gears.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 622,586 Allison et a1. Apr. 4, 1899 2,199,935 Johns May 7, 1940 2,548,111 Johns et a1. Apr. 10, 1951 2,967,708 Huck et a1. Jan. 10, 1961 3,017,184 Gruss Jan. 16, 1962 

5. IN AN APPARATUS FOR ELEVATING ARTICLES SUCH AS BOWLING PINS FROM A LOWER POSITION TO AN UPPER POSITION, THE COMBINATION OF AN ANNULAR ELEVATOR COMPRISING AN OUTER PERIPHERAL PORTION, AND RESILIENTLY DISPLACEABLE, INWARDLY PROJECTING, AXIALLY SPACED SIDE WALLS DEFINING AN ANNULAR MOUTH WHICH OPENS AT LEAST GENERALLY INWARDLY OF THE ANNULAR ELEVATOR, THE NORMAL, RELAXED POSITIONS OF SAID RESILIENTLY DISPLACEABLE SIDE WALLS BEING SUCH THAT THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS IS MATERIALLY GREATER THAN THE TRANSVERSE DIMENSIONS OF THE ARTICLES TO BE ELEVATED; MEANS SUPPORTING SAID ANNULAR ELEVATOR FOR ROTATION ABOUT ITS CENTRAL AXIS WITH THE PLANE OF ROTATION PASSING SAID LOWER AND UPPER POSITIONS; DRIVE MEANS FOR ROTATING SAID ELEVATOR ABOUT SAID AXIS; AND DISPLACING MEANS LOCATED BETWEEN SAID LOWER AND UPPER POSITIONS AND DISPOSED TO ENGAGE AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SIDE WALLS TO DISPLACE THE SAME IN A DIRECTION DECREASING THE SPACING BETWEEN SAID SIDE WALLS, OVER THAT ARCUATE PORTION OF THE ROTATIONAL PATH OF SAID ELEVATOR THROUGHOUT WHICH POSITIVE GRIPPING OF THE ARTICLES IS NECESSARY TO ELEVATE THE SAME, BY AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE SAID SIDE WALLS TO POSITIVELY GRIP THE ARTICLES, SAID AT LEAST ONE SIDE WALL BEING FREE FROM DISPLACEMENT BY SAID DISPLACING MEANS EXCEPT IN SAID ARCUATE PORTION OF SAID PATH, AND SAID SIDE WALLS OCCUPYING THEIR NORMAL, RELAXED POSITIONS AT SAID LOWER AND UPPER POSITIONS. 